Creativity is the set of attitudes, abilities, and mental processes that increase the probability of hitting upon solutions that seem to the well informed both novel and appropriate. Thus, whether the outcome of an effort is going to be creative or not is likely to depend upon the personality and attitudes of the person involved, certain distinctive mental abilities that go beyond just IQ, and certain problem solving processes in which what is called convergent thinking is nicely balanced by what is known as divergent or lateral thinking.

The essence of what we consider creative is the element of freshness, originality, and novelty that is also appropriate to the context. If a manager gives dictation standing on his head, it could be considered novel, but hardly appropriate. Feeding effeminate men rhino horn may be a novel way of infusing virility but there is no evidence that it works. Meditating for 20 minutes a is also a creative act for the manager, for it is known to raise creative ideas to consciousness. It is difficult to satisfy the two relatively contrary properties, namely, that the act must be novel and must be reasonably appropriate to the context. It is easy to think up novel ideas and it is easy to use solutions that have worked in the past. What is difficult is to find solutions that are novel and also effective.

My Consultancy–Asif J. Mir – Management Consultant–transforms organizations where people have the freedom to be creative, a place that brings out the best in everybody–an open, fair place where people have a sense that what they do matters. For details please visit www.asifjmir.com, Line of Sight